MADANG CRUISESHIP TOUR
North Coast of Madang Province consists of reef-fringed lowlands backed by some of the most rugged mountains in Papua New Guinea, and offshore volcanic islands. The town of Madang is situated halfway along the northern coastline in spectacular tropical surroundings.
COUNTRY TOURS....Experience The Last Frontier
MADANG - MADANG PROVINCE
North Coast of Madang Province consists of reef-fringed lowlands backed by some of the most rugged mountains in Papua New Guinea, and offshore volcanic islands. The town of Madang is situated halfway along the northern coastline in spectacular tropical surroundings. Built on a peninsula, Madang has excellent harbor facilities and is an important shipbuilding and repair center.
Madang Province has a flourishing cattle industry, a sugar refinery and is renowned among international tourists for its diversity of attraction.
Madang’s people can be broken into four distinct groups- islanders, coastal people, river people and mountains people. These groups are of similar appearance except for the small-statured Simbai tribes who love in the foothills of the mountains.
Madang was the center of bitter fighting during WWII before Australian troops finally defeated the Japanese invaders at Wewak. Reminders of this bloody conflict are evident in Hansa Bay, where sunken ships now provide interesting dive locations and an abandoned airstrip just off the North Coast Road, with its plane wrecks still standing on the runway.
Colorful Madang township has been called the “prettiest town in the South Pacific”. It’s peninsula setting is a show-place of parks, waterways, luxuriant shade trees and sparkling tropical islands.
Although small, the town has modern urban facilities, including hotels,department stores, markets and artifact shops. The Museum and Cultural Center displays models of traditional seagoing vessels. The lakatoi, a one-mast canoe, and the balangut, a two-mast canoe, are perfect examples of this local craft. Harbor tours can be easily arranged, and the crystal clear waters of nearby islands offer all water sport facilities. The area is world famous for its coral reefs and superb visibility – it’s diver’s paradise!
Game fishing is a popular sport, with kingfish, tuner, mackerel, barracuda and marlin likely catches, Yabob and Bilbil village are centers for traditional clay pot production. Artifact market-places also sell carvings and shell jewellery.
The two volcanic islands of Manam and Karkar, Island has some of the most productive copra plantations in the world.
The South East Coast road leads to the Balek Wildlife Sanctuary, which has strange, fish-filled sulphurous caves, jungle walks, and hot springs.The North Coast road passes through coffee and copra plantations to the great Ramu River where dugout canoe trips can be arranged. The Ramu Highway runs south through mountainous, once impenetrable terrain, to the upper Ramu and Markham valleys and eventually to Lae. It gives access to the war-time airstrips of Dumpu, now a cattle station, and Gusap now a sugar plantation.
Madang Province is out sanding in its range of natural mountainous, coastal and island features, and is regarded as one of the principal PNG destinations
MADANG - HALF DAY TOUR
(MINIMUM 100 PAX/NO MAXIMUM)
08:00 AM SHIP ARRIVES AT WHARF.
08:30 AM COMMENCE HALF DAY TOUR WITH DRIVE TO BIBBIL VILLAGE FOR CULTURAL PERFORMANCES. (Bilbil is one of the largest villages in Madang coastal area. Situated right on the beachfront is the home of the some of the finest pottery in the country. The village has been the base for clay pot and trading (batter system) was common with surrounding coast provinces and the inland mountain people. Clay pot was traded for food and other items and to some extent, these clay pots were found in the interior of the highlands provinces. Demonstration of clay pot making with sand and mud and the entire process will be performed. In addition, the village is known for their traditional Kundu drums will welcome traditional dances and passengers and the Singsing they will put on show).
09:00 AM ARRIVE AT BILBIL VILLAGE AND WITNESS CULTURAL SINGSING, POTTERY MAKING ETC.
09:45 AM DEPART BILBIL VILLAGE FOR EEL FISH FEEDING VILLAGE.
10:00 AM ARRIVE AT ELL FISH FEEDING VILLAGE. (Here passengers will get to see the feeding of ill fish from a creek passing through the village. The creek is made up of half fresh water and half sulphur. Passengers will be taken to the cave when the creek flows out of. A pool at the mouth of the creek houses some fresh water turtles. The smell of the sulphur can be felt when at the mouth of the creek. A short nature walk along the hillside will also be enjoyed).
10:30 AM LEAVE THE SULPHUR CREEK AND CAVE FOR MADANG MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER. (The Madang Museum & Cultural Center holds historical items such as baskets, pottery, weapons and other traditional items of which some are not in existence any more. History of first European discovery, photographs and other illustrations of the olden days Madang).
11:00 AM ARRIVE AT THE MADANG MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER
11:30 AM DEPART MADANG MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER FOR COAST WATCHERS MEMORIAL LIGHTHOUSE (This memorial Lighthouse stands tall in it’s original position as it was used to direct the war ships and other cargo vessels when approaching Madang during the WW2).
11:45 AM ARRIVE AT MEMORIAL LIGHTHOUSE
12:00 PM DEPART MEMORIAL LIGHTHOUSE FOR MADANG MARKET.
12:15 PM ARRIVE AT MADANG MARKET. (The Madang market shows off with its beautiful colors of string bags (bilums) woven from bus vines. As well are the fresh vegetables and other local produce. Trading in the market is goods for money, however, the old fashion batter system is common where vendors trade goods for goods, example, fish for sago, clay pot for yam etc. This is quite common and would be interesting observing this trading process).
2:30 PM DEPART MADANG MARKET FOR WHARF.
12:45 PM ARRIVE AT WHARF & BOARD SHIP.
COST: US$42.00 NET PER PERSON.
ALL SHIPS ESCORTS JOINING THE TOUR, FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN 15 YEARS OF AGE & BELOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
The above cost includes tour transportation; English speaking guides and entry fees to all sights of visit, cultural activities and government taxes.
A Complimentary bottle of water will be provided for each participant.
** The morning half day tours can be repeated in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm. Timings and tour routing will be made available if and when required **.
MADANG & NORTH COAST - FULL DAY TOUR
(MINIMUM 100/NO MAXIMUM)
08:00 AM SHIP ARRIVE AT PIER
09:00 AM COMMENCE FULL DAY TOUR WITH DRIVE TO MADANG MARKET.
09:15 AM ARRIVE AT MADANG MARKET.
09:30 AM DEPART MADANG MARKET FOR COAST WATCHERS MEMORIAL LIGHT HOUSE.
09:45 AM ARRIVE AT MEMORIAL LIGHTHOUSE.
10:00 AM DEPART MEMORIAL LIGHTHOUSE FOR MADANG MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER.
10:15 AM ARRIVE AT MADANG MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER.
10:45 AM DEPART MADANG MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER FOR BILBIL VILLAGE.
11:15 AM ARRIVE AT BILBIL VILLAGE AND WITNESS CULTURAL SINGSING & POTTERY MAKING.
12:00 PM DEPART BILBIL VILLAGE FOR EEL FISH FEEDING VILLAGE.
12:15 PM ARRIVE AT EEL FISH FEEDING VILLAGE.
12:45 PM DEPART EEL FISH FEEDING VILLAGE FOR MALOLO PLANTATION LODGE FOR LUNCH. (This is a very scenic drive passing through the old German coconut plantations. The Germans came and settled along the North coast and started up coconut plantations now in the ownership of the local people).
13:30 PM ARRIVE AT MALOLO PLANTATION LODGE FOR LUNCH. A bottle of beer, glass of wine or soft drink is included in the lunch. (During lunch, a traditional bamboo band will perform to keep the passengers entertained. Malolo Lodge has a nice setting right on the beachfront with black sandy beach. It has beautiful gardens and nice lawn. Walking along the beach is superb with cool sea breezes. It has a fine restaurant and caters nice lunches).
14:30 PM DEPART MALOLO PLANTATION LODGE FOR SIMON’S VILLAGE FOR VILLAGE STUDY AND WITNESS TRADITIONAL MEDICINE MAKING. (Bush leaves and herbs are collected to make traditional medicine. Pain releasers, poison neutralizers etc are made from leaves and vines or different kinds. These traditional medicines are still in use today. This will be witnessed in this village and elsewhere too).
14:45 PM ARRIVE AT SIMON’S VILLAGE
15:15 PM DEPART SIMON’S VILLAGE FOR NATIONAL COCOA AND COPRA RESEARCH INSTITUTE. (This is an agricultural institution where they educate locals how to grow productive cocoa and coconut and how to maintain their crops).
15:30 PM ARRIVE AT COCOA & COCONUT RESEARCH INSTITUTE
16:00 PM DEPART COCOA & COCONUT RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR WHARF
17:00 PM ARRIVE AT WHARF AND BOARD SHIP.
COST: US$79.00 NET PER PERSON.
ALL SHIPS ESCORTS JOINING THE TOUR, FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN 15 YEARS OF AGE & BELOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
The above cost includes tour transportation; English speaking guides and entry fees to all sights of visit, cultural activities and government taxes.
A Complimentary bottle of water will be provided for each participant.